Association of Candida albicans and Cbp+Streptococcus mutans with early childhood caries recurrence

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 10802 - 11
• Main Authors: Garcia, B. A., Acosta, N. C., Tomar, S. L., Roesch, L. F. W., Lemos, J. A., Mugayar, L. R. F., Abranches, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 24.05.2021; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/326; 692/699; 692/699/3020; African Americans; Age; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Biofilms; Candida albicans; Candida albicans - isolation & purification; Candida albicans - metabolism; Candida albicans - pathogenicity; Child, Preschool; Childhood; Children; Coinfection - microbiology; Collagen; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dental caries; Dental Caries - metabolism; Dental Caries - microbiology; Dental Caries Susceptibility; Dental plaque; Dentin; Dentin - metabolism; Dentistry; Female; Hispanic people; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Infections; Male; Microbiomes; multidisciplinary; Pediatrics; Recurrence; Saliva; Saliva - microbiology; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Streptococcus - isolation & purification; Streptococcus infections; Streptococcus mutans; Streptococcus mutans - isolation & purification; Streptococcus mutans - metabolism; Streptococcus mutans - pathogenicity
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90198-3

Early childhood caries (ECC) recurrence occurs in approximately 40% of treated cases within one year. The association of Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans with the onset of ECC is well known. Also, S. mutans strains harboring collagen-binding proteins (Cbps) avidly bind to collagen-rich dentin and are linked to increased caries risk. Here, we investigated the presence of Cbp + S. mutans and C. albicans in saliva and dental plaque of children with varying caries statuses, and their salivary microbiome. In this cross-sectional study, 143 children who were caries-free (n = 73), treated for ECC with no signs of recurrence after 6 months (n = 45), or treated for ECC and experiencing recurrence within 6 months following treatment (n = 25) were enrolled. Co-infection with C. albicans and S. mutans , especially Cbp + S. mutans, was strongly associated with caries recurrence. Subjects of the recurrence group infected with Cbp + S. mutans showed a greater burden of Candida spp. and of Mutans streptococci in dentin than those infected with Cbp - strains. Salivary microbiome analysis revealed that Streptococcus parasanguinis was overrepresented in the caries recurrence group. Our findings indicate that Cbp + S. mutans and C. albicans are intimately associated with caries recurrence, contributing to the establishment of recalcitrant biofilms.